RĪGA STRADIŅŠ UNIVERSITY

STUDY PROGRAM “MEDICINE 2.0”

STUDY COURSE “MEDICAL BIOCHEMISTRY”
SEMESTER I

WEEK 6
HOMEWORK FOR SEMINAR HELD IN WEEK 7

Fill out these worksheets after listening to Lecture 6 - Enzymes, Enzyme Classes, Enzyme
Specificities.

1.You know that enzyme is a protein and shape and properties of amino acids are important for
enzyme-substrate complex formation. Think of three factors that could influence substrate
binding ability of enzyme. Explain how they would change the enzyme.
1.

2.

3.

2. Read text about lysozyme from Wikipedia.

Lysozyme, also known as muramidase or N-acetylmuramide glycanhydrolase, is an antimicrobial
enzyme produced by animals that forms part of the innate immune system. Lysozyme catalyses the
hydrolysis of 1,4-beta-linkages between N-acetylmuramic acid and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine residues
in peptidoglycan, which is the major component of Gram-positive bacterial cell wall.
To which enzyme class does lysozyme belong to?
What can you deduce about substrate specificity of lysozyme – is it absolute specific or relative
specific? Is it stereospecific? Explain your assumptions
3. Observe enzymatic reactions. For first reaction write substrate(s), enzyme, product(s) of the
reaction and cofactors if present. For all reactions deduce enzyme class of enzyme performing
reaction. Explain your assumptions.

Substrate(s) Enzyme
Product(s) Cofactor
Enzyme class:
Why?

Enzyme class:
Why?

Enzyme class:
Why?
Enzyme class:
Why?

Enzyme class:
Why?

Enzyme class:
Why?
Enzyme class:
Why?

Enzyme class:
Why?

Enzyme class:
Why?